TEM study of schottky junctions in reconfigurable silicon nanowire devices

The physical and electrical properties of a silicon nanowire reconfigurable field effect transistor (RFETs) are determined by the Schottky junction between the participating phases. TEM studies on such junctions require a careful FIB-based target preparation of thin lamellae with minimal ion-beam induced damage. In the current study, the nickel silicide phase forming the Schottky junction with silicon is identified using EDX in the TEM, considering a calibration based on the Fourier transforms of the HRTEM micrographs of known diffraction patterns of the nickel silicide phases. The TEM lamellae are prepared using the so-called lift-out technique and low voltage Ga+ ion polishing to minimize the near-surface amorphization. The structural and compositional data of the nickel silicide phase are needed for engineering the Schottky junction and corresponding theoretical modeling.